Sensing system for entering angle and space velocity and hitting point

ABSTRACT

A sensing system for providing an entering angle, a space velocity and a hitting point to a golf simulation system is provided, in which a club head sensing part and a horizontal sensing part horizontal with a bottom surface are disposed at a position that the club head swung by a golf practicer is entered, so as to sense shadow information of the club head, thereby obtaining the entering angle, the space velocity and the hitting point of the club head.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a golf simulation system; and, moreparticularly, to a sensing system for an entering angle, a spacevelocity and a hitting point, which can sense a shadow of a club headwhen a user practices a golf swing in a golf simulation system andobtain an entering angle, a space velocity and a hitting point of theclub head.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, an indoor golf practice range is a place for practicing agolf swing in order to make a player proficient in golf.

However, since the indoor golf practice range has different atmosphereand environment from an actual outdoor golf course, there is largedifference between the indoor golf practice range and the outdoor golfcourse, and also as compared with the practice in the indoor golfpractice range, it is difficult to obtain the desired result in theactual outdoor golf course.

To solve the above problems, there has been proposed a golf simulationsystem in which an environment similar to that in an actual outdoor golfcourse is provided at an indoor golf practice range so as to obtain aneffect of hitting or putting a golf ball in the actual outdoor golfcourse.

As shown in FIG. 1, the golf simulation system includes a main computer110 which executes a golf simulation program for providing anenvironment similar to an actual outdoor golf course, a projector 120which is connected with the main computer 110 so as to project a virtualimage corresponding to the environment in the actual outdoor golfcourse, a screen 130 which displays the virtual image projected from theprojector 120, a sensing system which has a plurality of sensors fordetecting a movement velocity, direction and trajectory of a club head,and a direction, velocity and launch angle of a ball when a golfpracticer hits the ball, and a camera 150 which takes a picture of aswing motion of the golf practicer when hitting or putting the ball andthen provides the pictures to the golf practicer.

In an operation of the golf simulation system as described above, thegolf practicer chooses a golf club for hitting the ball and then hits orputts toward a screen the ball supplied by a ball supplying unit.

When the golf practicer hits or putts the ball, a sensing part having aplurality of optical sensors detects the club head swung by the golfpracticer and the ball flown by the hitting, analyzes a swing result andthen projects the ball on the screen connected with the main computer.

However, since the conventional golf simulation system as describedabove measures only the velocity, direction and launch angle of the ballflown by the hitting and calculates a flying trajectory of the ball, theflying trajectory of the ball may be partially inaccurate.

In case of a system of analyzing golf ball and head information using alaser and a four-axial optical sensor, in order to complement theabove-mentioned problem, a trajectory of the club head is obtained byusing the velocity, direction and launch angle of the ball and a sensingsystem that is proposed by the applicant and installed at a bottomsurface, and then it is determined whether the trajectory of the clubhead is OutSide-InSide, InSide-InSide or InSide-OutSide, therebyincreasing accuracy of the flying trajectory of the golf ball.

However, there is also a problem that it is not possible to directlymeasure a back spin of the ball. In other words, since the back spin isobtained by just reflecting the launch angle, the accuracy of the flyingtrajectory of the golf ball is deteriorated.

Further, in view of the fact that every golf practicer has to swing withoptimal entering angle and velocity for each club in order to achieve anaccurate swing, information of the entering angle and velocity of theclub head is very important to the golf swing analysis. However, sincethe sensor cannot the information, the accuracy is deteriorated.

As shown in FIG. 2, in Korean Patent No.10-0753657 issued by theapplicant of the present invention, there has been proposed a system ofanalyzing golf ball and head information, that includes a bottom sensingpart 202 in which a plurality of optical sensors (not shown) arearranged straight at regular intervals in a bottom surface, and thebottom surface having the optical sensors is illuminated by lightgenerated from a light source 240 so as to detect a shadow according tomovement of the ball (not shown) or the golf club (not shown); and avertical sensing part 204 which is inclinedlyinclinedlyverticallydisposed on the bottom surface so as to receive light from a laser 250faced therewith and detect a shadow generated when the ball and the clubare passed through a laser surface 251; a controlling part (not shown)which measures a velocity, direction and trajectory of the club head andcalculates a driving distance, pattern and direction of the ball so asto obtain final position coordinates of the ball in the space; and adisplaying part 220 for displaying on a screen the position coordinatesof the ball in the space, which is obtained by the controlling part,wherein vertical position coordinates, horizontal position coordinatesand velocity of the ball in a space are obtained by using the shadowinformation detected by the bottom sensing part 202 and vertical sensingpart 204, and the launch angle and direction of the ball is obtained byusing the position coordinates of the ball.

Herein, the bottom sensing part 202 includes a first bottom sensing part202 a in which the desired number of optical sensors are formed into thedesired number of rows, a second bottom sensing part 202 b which isspaced apart from the first bottom sensing part 202 a and in which thedesired number of optical sensors are formed into the desired number ofrows, and a third bottom sensing part 202 c which is spaced apart fromthe second bottom sensing part 202 b and in which the desired number ofoptical sensors are formed into the desired number of rows.

According to the above-mentioned structure and shape, when the golfpracticer swings the golf club and hits the ball, the shadow of the clubhead moved above the bottom surface is detected by the first, second andthird bottom sensing parts 202 a, 202 b and 202 c which are arranged, inturn, at regular intervals in a length direction of the bottom surface.

Herein, the shadow of the club head is generated by a light sourcepositioned at an upper side of the first, second and third bottomsensing parts 202 a, 202 b and 202 c.

If each of the first, second and third bottom sensing parts 202 a, 202 band 202 c detects the shadow of the club head passing through the first,second and third bottom sensing parts 202 a, 202 b and 202 c, thevelocity and moving coordinates of the club head is obtained by using atime difference of the club head detected by each of the first, secondand third bottom sensing parts 202 a, 202 b and 202 c.

And the trajectory and velocity of the club head with respect to thebottom surface is obtained by using the shadow information of the clubhead detected by the first, second and third bottom sensing parts 202 a,202 b and 202 c.

Further, it can be also determined whether the trajectory of the clubhead passing through the first, second and third bottom sensing parts202 a, 202 b and 202 c is OutSide-InSide, InSide-InSide orInSide-OutSide.

Meanwhile, the vertical sensing part 204 which isinclinedlyinclinedlyvertically disposed with respect to a verticalsurface receives the light from the laser 250 positioned at a rear sideof the vertical sensing part 204, detects the shadow generated when theclub head is passed through the laser surface 251, and then analyzes thegolf ball and the club head using the detected shadow information.

The launch angle and space velocity of the golf ball can be measured byusing the shadow information of the golf ball and the club head detectedby the vertical sensing part 204, thereby improving the accuracy of thedriving distance and the accuracy of flaying simulation of the golfball.

As described above, the plurality of bottom sensing parts 202 a, 202 band 202 c are arrange at regular intervals in the bottom surface and theinclined vertical sensing part 204 is provided, such that the shadows ofthe golf head and the golf ball, that are formed by the laser 250 andthe light generated from the light source, are detected by the bottomsensing parts 202 a, 202 b and 202 c and the vertical sensing part 204.The trajectory and velocity of the golf ball and the golf club arecalculated by these processes.

The shadow information detected by the bottom sensing parts 202 a, 202 band 202 c and the vertical sensing part 204 is transferred to thecontrolling part, and the controlling part obtains the velocity,direction, launch angle and driving distance of the golf ball and thetrajectory and velocity of the golf club using the shadow information.In other words, the controlling part analyzes digital values accordingto the shadow information that is continuously input from the bottomsensing parts 202 a, 202 b and 202 c and digital values according to theshadow information that is continuously input from the vertical sensingpart 204, thereby obtaining the velocity, direction, launch angle anddriving distance of the golf ball and the trajectory and velocity of thegolf club.

Meanwhile, in the above sensing system as described above, it is facileto sense the golf ball and the golf club and thus detect the informationsuch as velocity of the golf ball, prospective driving distance of thegolf ball, impulse of the golf head, accuracy of the swing angle of theclub head, and inclination of the hit ball to one side, but it isdifferent to precisely sense the entering angle of the club head forhitting the ball, the space velocity and the hitting point and the like.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

An embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing asensing system for providing an entering angle, a space velocity and ahitting point to a golf simulation system, in which a club head sensingpart and a horizontal sensing part horizontal with a bottom surface aredisposed at a position that the club head swung by a golf practicer isentered, so as to sense shadow information of the club head, therebyobtaining the entering angle, the space velocity and the hitting pointof the club head.

Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing theentering angle, the space velocity and the hitting point of the clubhead to the golf practicer, thereby providing information of the swingdirection and entering direction of the club head, and the hitting pointof the golf ball hit by the club head.

Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing adegree of back spin applied to the golf ball through the sensed andobtained entering angle and space velocity of the club head and thehitting point of the golf ball.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

To achieve the object of the present invention, the present inventionprovides a sensing system for an entering angle, a space velocity and ahitting point, that comprises a bottom sensing part 10 having first,second and third bottom sensing part 11, 12 and 13 which are disposed tobe spaced apart at regular intervals in a length direction of a bottomsurface and in which a plurality of optical sensors 11 a, 12 a and 13 aare arranged straight in a width direction so as to receive light from alight source and sense a shadow of a golf ball and a club head; avertical sensing part 20 which is inclinedlyinclinedlyverticallydisposed at one side of the third bottom sensing part 13 of the bottomsensing part 10 in a vertical direction so as to sense the shadow of thegolf ball and the club head passing through a laser surface formed byreceiving laser from a vertical layerlaser emitting unit opposed to thevertical sensing part 20; and a controlling part for obtaining positioncoordinates of the golf ball in a space using shadow information of thegolf ball and the club head sensed by the bottom sensing part 10 and thevertical sensing part 20, including an entering sensing part 50 which isvertically disposed at one side of the first bottom sensing part 11 thatthe club head swung by a golf practicer is entered, and also which isinclined to be symmetrical with the vertical sensing part 20; and ahorizontal sensing part 70 which is disposed at a lower side of theentering sensing part 50 to be horizontal with the bottom surface of aswing plate 3, wherein the controlling part obtains the entering angleof the club head using the shadow information of the club head sensed bythe entering sensing part 50 and the horizontal sensing part 70, andalso obtains the hitting point of the club head using the shadowinformation of the club head sensed by the horizontal sensing part 70.

Preferably, the entering sensing part 50 receives laser from alayerlaser emitting unit 90 a opposed to the entering sensing part 50 soas to sense a shadow of the club head passing through a laser surface 53formed between the layerlaser emitting unit 90 a and the enteringsensing part 50.

Preferably, the horizontal sensing part 70 receives laser from a layerlaser emitting unit 90 b opposed to the horizontal sensing part 70 so asto sense a shadow of the club head passing through a laser surface 73formed between the layerlaser emitting unit 90 b and the horizontalsensing part 70.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

As described above, the present invention senses the entering angle,space velocity and hitting point of the club head swung by the golfpracticer in the golf simulation system and provides information such asthe swing and entering direction of the club head and the hitting pointof the golf ball hit by the club head.

Further, the present invention displays the swing and entering directionof the club head and the hitting point of the golf ball hit by the clubhead on the screen so as to show them to the golf practicer, therebyproviding the analyzed results of the golf ball hit by the club head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a general golf simulation system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a conventional system of analyzinggolf ball and head information.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state that a sensing system foran entering angle, a space velocity and a hitting point is installed atthe golf simulation system in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the state that the sensing system for theentering angle, the space velocity and the hitting point is installed atthe golf simulation system in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing an operation processof the sensing system for the entering angle, the space velocity and thehitting point in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MAIN ELEMENTS

3: swing plate 11: bottom sensing part

11: first bottom sensing part 11 a: optical sensor

12: second bottom sensing part 12 a: optical sensor

13: third bottom sensing part 13 a: optical sensor

20: vertical sensing part

50: entering sensing part 53: laser surface

70: horizontal sensing part 73: laser surface

MODE FOR THE INVENTION

The advantages, features and aspects of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description of the embodiments withreference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state that a sensing system foran entering angle, a space velocity and a hitting point is installed atthe golf simulation system in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 4 is a front view showing the state that thesensing system for the entering angle, the space velocity and thehitting point is installed at the golf simulation system in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspectiveview schematically showing an operation process of the sensing systemfor the entering angle, the space velocity and the hitting point inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, a sensing system for providing a velocity andtrajectory of a club head, and a velocity, direction and launch angle ofa golf ball hit in the golf simulation system of the present inventionincludes a bottom sensing part 10, a vertical sensing part 20 and acontrolling part (not shown). The sensing system is applied to a generalgolf simulation system.

The bottom sensing part 10 includes a first bottom sensing part 11, asecond bottom sensing part 12 and a third bottom sensing part 13 whichare respectively disposed in a bottom surface for hitting a golf ball soas to be spaced apart at regular intervals in a length direction,respectively, and in which a plurality of optical sensors 11 a, 12 a and13 a are arranged straight in a width direction.

The first, second and third bottom sensing parts 11, 12 and 13respectively receive light from a light source so as to sense a shadowaccording to movement of a golf ball (not shown) and a golf club (notshown).

The first, second and third bottom sensing parts 11, 12 and 13 arearranged in turn from a direction that a club head of the golf clubswung by a golf practicer is entered. In other words, the club headswung by the golf practicer is entered to an upper side of the firstbottom sensing part 11, and passed through upper sides of the second andthird bottom sensing parts 12 and 13, and then gone out of a swing plate(main body).

The vertical sensing part 20 is vertically disposed at one side of thefirst bottom sensing part 13 of the bottom sensing part 10 so as to beinclined to one side.

Herein, the vertical sensing part 20 receives laser from a verticallaser emitting unit (not shown) that is opposed to the vertical sensingpart 20, and thus a laser surface (not shown) is formed between thevertical laser emitting unit and the vertical sensing part 20.

When the golf ball and the club head are passed through the lasersurface formed between the vertical laser emitting unit and the verticalsensing part 20, the shadow of the golf ball and the club head is sensedby the vertical sensing part 20.

The controlling part obtains the velocity and position coordinates ofthe golf ball in a space using the shadow information of the golf balland the club head sensed by the bottom sensing part 10 and the verticalsensing part 20.

The golf simulation system further includes a sensing system for anentering angle, a space velocity and a hitting point of the club head.

In other words, an entering sensing part 50 is vertically disposed atone side of the first bottom sensing part 11 that the club head isentered when the golf practicer swings the golf club, and a horizontalsensing part 70 is horizontally disposed at a lower side of the enteringsensing part 50 in a length direction of the bottom surface of the swingplate 3.

At this time, the entering sensing part 50 is inclinedly disposed to besymmetrical with the vertical sensing part 20.

Meanwhile, the entering sensing part 50 receives laser from a laseremitting unit 90 a that is opposed to the entering sensing part 50, andthus, a laser surface 53 is formed between the entering sensing part 50and the laser emitting unit 90 a.

The horizontal sensing part 70 receives laser from a laser emitting unit90 b that is opposed to the horizontal sensing part 70, and thus, alaser surface 73 is formed between the horizontal sensing part 70 andthe laser emitting unit 90 b.

The shadow of the club head is sensed by the laser surfaces 53 and 73formed between the entering sensing part 50 and the laser emitting unit90 a and between the horizontal sensing part 70 and the laser emittingunit 90 b.

As described above, the shadow information of the club head sensed bythe entering sensing part 50 and the horizontal sensing part 70 istransferred to the controlling part. The controlling part obtains theentering angle, the space velocity and the hitting point of the clubhead using the shadow information.

In other words, it is possible to obtain the entering angle of the clubhead when the club head swung by the golf practicer is passed in turnthrough the entering sensing part 50 and the horizontal sensing part 70,and it is possible to obtain the space velocity of the club head using atime difference of the club head that is passed through the enteringsensing part 50 and the horizontal sensing part 70, and it is possibleto obtain the hitting point of the golf ball by the horizontal sensingpart 70.

Preferably, the entering sensing part 50 has an inclined angle which isfacile to increase a sensing surface area for sensing the entering andmoving club head according to the swing of the golf practicer.

Further, preferably, a position of the horizontal sensing part 70 is notlimited to the lower side of the entering sensing part 50.

Herein, a method of obtaining the velocity, direction and launch angleof the golf ball and the moving velocity and trajectory of the clubusing the shadow information sensed by the bottom sensing part and thevertical sensing part of the sensing system of providing the velocityand trajectory of the club head, and the velocity, direction and launchangle of the golf ball hit in the golf simulation system of the presentinvention is the same as that described in Korean Patent No. 10-0753657issued by the applicant of the present invention.

The entering angle, space velocity and hitting point of the club headobtained by the controlling part are transferred to a displaying part(not shown), and values of the entering angle, space velocity andhitting point of the club head swung by the golf practicer are displayedon a screen. Furthermore, the entering angle, space velocity and hittingpoint of the club head obtained by the controlling part may be outputthrough a data outputting unit (not shown).

While the present invention has been described with respect to thespecific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the followingclaims.

1. A sensing system for an entering angle, a space velocity and ahitting point, that comprises a bottom sensing part having first, secondand third bottom sensing parts which are disposed to be spaced apart atregular intervals in a length direction of a bottom surface and in whicha plurality of optical sensors are arranged straight in a widthdirection so as to receive light from a light source and sense a shadowof a golf ball and a club head; a vertical sensing part which isinclinedly inclinedly disposed at one side of the third bottom sensingpart of the bottom sensing part in a vertical direction so as to sensethe shadow of the golf ball and the club head passing through a lasersurface formed by receiving laser from a vertical layerlaser emittingunit opposed to the vertical sensing part; and a controlling part forobtaining position coordinates of the golf ball in a space using shadowinformation of the golf ball and the club head sensed by the bottomsensing part and the vertical sensing part, comprising: an enteringsensing part which is vertically disposed at one side of the firstbottom sensing part 11 that the club head swung by a golf practicer isentered, and also which is inclined to be symmetrical with the verticalsensing part; and a horizontal sensing part which is disposed at a lowerside of the entering sensing part to be horizontal with the bottomsurface of a swing plate, wherein the controlling part obtains theentering angle of the club head using the shadow information of the clubhead sensed by the entering sensing part and the horizontal sensingpart, and also obtains the hitting point of the club head using theshadow information of the club head sensed by the horizontal sensingpart.
 2. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein the entering sensingpart receiuves laser from a layerlaser emitting unit opposed to theentering sensing part so as to sense a shadow of the club head passingthrough a laser surface formed between the layerlaser emitting unit andthe entering sensing part.
 3. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein thehorizontal sensing part receives laser from a layerlaser emitting unitopposed to the horizontal sensing part so as to sense a shadow of theclub head passing through a laser surface formed between the layerlaseremitting unit 90 b and the horizontal sensing part.